Well, five of my favourite things to be precise. As a travel writer and yoga teacher people are often asking me for advice and information, so it struck me it would be good to get something down 'on paper'. I thought hard about what were the most important things to me. Panda, my cat is curling up next to me, and he has many of the qualities of objects I value most. He is beautiful, compact, value for money and usually never far from my side. And I hate to say it, but he also has an undeniable simplicity. Which is fine by me. As I always say to people: 'Who Wants a Clever Cat?'
1. Yoga Clothes
I love yoga. I like clothes. I need yoga clothes. Gone are the days (although not long gone) where I used to wear Primark leggings to a class. Now that I am a teacher, I feel there needs to be a bit of quality in my work wear and no one wants even slightly baggy or see through yoga pants. I've a few favourites: Manuka are doing great things with eco materials and simple, practical designs. There is nothing too fancy or out there about what they are doing; it is good, honest yoga gear. I have to say though, I am very anti yoga fashion. No one should feel that they can't go to a class because they haven't got the right clothes.
2. Bed Linen
'Boring!' I hear you cry. I disagree. How much time do we spend in bed? How lovely is it to slip into crisp, white (for me it has got to be white) bed linen that is high quality - such high quality that you could be in a hotel. For someone who spends a lot of their time in hotel rooms, I think I know a thing or two about what feels nice for a sheet. Beaumont & Brown say that they have the best bed linen in the world. I don't know about that, but I do know that I first experienced their sheets at the Fairmont hotel and that for me the 400-thread count bedding set is one of the best bed linen purchases you can make. Lightweight, simple and with a wonderful softness are their three main qualities, which, come to think of it, is back to the qualities of my cat.
3. Jumpsuits
As well as being known as the Queen of Hackney, some people also call me the queen of jumpsuits. I love them because they are as comfortable as pajamas and you only have to think about putting on one, not two, things. As someone who travels a lot for work, I need clothes to be crease free and easy to wash and wear. I will also wear them for yoga classes. Onjenu are my favourites as they are stylish, fun and practical. People are always stopping me in the street to ask where I got them, so now you know.
4. Luggage
I'm not into fashion or flashy labels and when it comes to luggage quality is king. I always say: four wheels good, two wheels bad for baggage carrying. Antler do a great job, but my current favourite is Tripp. Their bags are lightweight, attractive and durable - back to Panda.
5. Towels
Give me a white, fluffy easy to wash yet luxurious set of towels and I am happy. I love to feel like I am in a luxury hotel when in my own bathroom but am no good at using white vinegar in my washing and don't believe in fabric conditioner. It seems to me that anything we put next to our skin should feel good so it is important which towels we choose to use. I would recommend Rrichard Haworth who supply UK hotels with reasonably priced, 100% cotton towels and if you are feeling fancy you can even have them personalised. For me, towels, like linen, should always be white. Don't even think of cream, or ivory, let alone pebble or slate.